Pentagram
by VexieChan
Summary: A tale of twists, turns, choices, broken Spirits, and Children growing up. Jackcentric 5th dragon fic. You know you love it. Ch 6 FINALLY up: A Date and Clay Gets Pissed Off!
1. Dragon of Spirit

Pentagram

AJ Wonkette

Summary: A tale of twists, turns, choices, broken Spirits, and Children growing up. Jack-centric 5th dragon fic. You know you love it.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. If I did, you'd know. All I get out of this is sleep deprivation and giggles. I do own Jack's car, though. I let him borrow it on the condition that he fills it up before returning it.

A/N: I have no idea how well this is going to work. I will tell you now that updates will be sporadic, due to my ever-increasing schedule. I'm taking show-choir next semester so my already tiny sliver of time will be shrunk a little more. I'll do what I can, though.

Pairings: …This one is off the charts. I don't even know how it'll turn out. I just want to ask you not to judge the fic by who Kimiko seems to be with, 'cos she ends up with almost everyone at one point or another.

Feedback: Will stop the Jack-Bots from devouring your very essence. Not that they can do that or anything, it was just REALLY fun to say. They can, however, blast you to bits, so I'd move a little to the left if I were you. There you go.

Story:

Chapter One: Dragon of Spirit

The sinking sun over the Xiaolin Temple brought urgent yet amazing news. The inhabitants of the monastery were called into the meditation chamber. Moments later, the four Xiaolin Warriors were found sitting in a circle around Master Fung. They stared at him in utter disbelief. Dojo the dragon was perched on the old monk's shoulder, also staring at the man in something akin to surprise. The old master did not seem surprised at all, retaining his usual manner of absolute calm and tranquility.

"A fifth dragon?" the girl with black pigtails questioned, the PDA in her hands forgotten, a sure sign of true shock, as she very rarely stopped in the middle of an IM conversation for anything.

"Yes, Kimiko." Master Fung replied.

"But, Master Fung, there are only _four _elements. Fire, Earth, Air, and of course, Water!" Omi, the smallest warrior pointed out. The last element was named with more than a little pride, due to the fact that water was, naturally, _his_ element.

"So we thought. It seems part of the ancient scrolls were missing. A fifth element has made itself known. Have you ever seen a pentagram?" Master Fung asked. Three blank stares answered his question. But the cowboy, of all people, nodded.

"It's a five pointed star." He said matter-of-factly. The other monks looked at him strangely, wondering why the generally down-to-earth cowboy would know something mystical like that for no particular reason.

"Precisely, Clay." The old monk praised. "It is a five pointed star. Each point represents an element. There are your four elements, and one more, the Element of Spirit. Five lines connect the points, uniting the elements as one. It is imperative to the Balance that all elements are united, which may explain the constant shift of good and evil in the past and present."

"So who is this Spirit Dragon anyway?" The fourth warrior asked, all other information clearly unimportant to the good-looking boy. "I hope it's a girl." The sentence insinuated much more than a simple matter of gender. No one in the room doubted how his ideal new teammate would look.

"Raimundo!" Kimiko smacked him on the arm, only half playfully. Raimundo grinned at her, winking flirtatiously. Master Fung cleared his throat, regaining their attention.

"I'm afraid I do not know the identity of the fifth Dragon. However, using the Compass of Shinabi, you will be able to locate him or her, which is your next quest. Go, my young monks. Find the fifth dragon and bring him or her to the temple. Only when you are all as one will good triumph." He said gravely, handing Raimundo the afore mentioned Shen Gong Wu. The four monks stood. Raimundo opened the compass.

"Compass of Shinabi! Find the Dragon of Spirit!" He commanded. The arrow glowed golden, then spun wildly, finally coming to rest pointing west. Dojo grew to his full size, allowing the four warriors to leap onto his back. They set off, the excitement of a new quest glowing in their faces.

_Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, at an American university. . . _

A boy stood in the middle of a crowded hallway, staring first at a sheet of paper, then at the doorway before him. He was tall and thin, though his face retained a sort of round shape that negated the sharpness of his body. His dark hair was tipped with red, hanging down into his eyes, which seemed to be crimson as well. He made a face at the paper, then walked into the classroom. He looked around somewhat uneasily. A girl with wild curls wearing a black tank top gave him a quick look over. He grinned at her, pleased when she grinned back. A woman dressed entirely in pink walked up to him and gave him an over-exaggerated smile.

"Hello, my name is Julia Chapel. And you are?" She asked pleasantly, handing him a colorful packet of papers held together with a staple.

"Jack Spicer, Ev-." He stopped and smiled to himself. "Jack Spicer." He repeated more firmly. She nodded and he took a seat next to the girl with the curls.

"Nice hair." She remarked. "So what were you going to say after Spicer?"

"What? Oh, nothing. It's just kind of. . .an old habit." Jack replied, shrugging. _Jack Spicer, Evil Boy Genius!_ That was how he used to introduce himself. It surprised him how hard the old habit died. He hadn't used that title in almost two years. Being and evil villain had been fun when he was a kid, but he had decided it was time to grow out of it. He'd changed a lot since then. No longer did Jack Spicer dye his hair bright red, wear Halloween reject goggles, or paint strange marks on his face. He didn't build destructive robots or hunt for Shen Gong Wu. He traveled by black Sunfire instead of heli-bot. He was just a normal eighteen year old boy, going into his freshman year of college.

Little did he know he was an hour away from losing that status. He sat through the introduction to his English class with some interest. He flirted with the girl who had taken an interest in his hair, and began making his way to the campus center to grab a bite to eat before his next class. He was quite content with the way the day was turning out. A girl with short red hair grinned at him as he passed her. He grinned back, throwing in a wink. He sighed happily. Quite content indeed.

Dojo shrunk to normal size before they reached the campus. There was no need to cause a ruckus, which a giant dragon flying overhead certainly would. The four monks stood atop the hill, looking down at the large school before hem.

"So it must be someone at that place of learning." Omi said, looking interested. "Our new friend must be a scholar!" The large-headed boy seemed extremely pleased with this notion.

"Looks like it." Clay agreed. "C'mon. Let's get started. Tryin' to find the guy we need'll be like tryin' to find a white horse in a snowstorm." The others agreed, and they took off for the school, Raimundo and the mystical compass in the lead. He turned left, then right, then back the other direction, looking at the crowd of people around him.

"Ugh, I wish everyone would stop moving! The compass won't stop spinning!" he complained. Kimiko smiled.

"No problem." She said, pulling out a Shen Gong Wu of her own. "Golden Finger!" Every person on the campus save the four monks froze instantly.

"Good thinking, Kimiko." Raimundo said admiringly.

"We must hurry! The effects of the Golden Finger will not last long. We do not have a minute to save!" Omi reminded them. No one bothered to correct his mis-phrasing, as they were all quite used to his butchery of modern slang. Raimundo followed the compass to a tall lanky boy wearing a red hoodie pulled up over his head as protection from the light drizzle. The compass glowed in confirmation and closed itself. All of a sudden, the crowd continued their movements, as though they had never been frozen to begin with. The boy started to walk away.

"Hey, partner!" Clay called after him. Several people looked up and snickered, causing Clay to turn slightly red, but the boy in the hoodie froze at the sound of the cowboy's voice. He turned around slowly, eyes closed. He opened them as though expecting to see some sort of horror. His crimson gaze landed on the monks.

"Oh no. I was hoping it wasn't you." He groaned. "What are you doing here?" The four Xiaolin monks stared open-mouthed.

"Well I'll be." Clay murmured in awe.

"Jack Spicer!" Omi cried, shifting into a fighting stance reflexively.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jack quickly held up his hands. "I really don't want to get in a fight right now. I'm clean, I don't have any Wu on me. I'm out of the biz now."

"We're not here about Shen Gong Wu." Kimiko informed him. Jack tilted his head suspiciously, lowering his hands.

"Okay. Then what do you want?" He asked. "And can we talk about it inside? It's wet out here." The four monks looked at each other. All eyes turned to Raimundo, seeing as he was the leader. He shrugged.

"All right. Lead the way, Spicer. And don't try anything funny." He warned menacingly. Jack rolled his eyes.

"I told you, I'm out of the business now!" he repeated, indicating for them to follow him. They began walking toward the building in the center of the campus.

"What business?" Omi asked, running to catch up to the once-villain, oblivious as ever.

"Evil." Jack replied simply, opening a door and throwing the bald monk a grin. The monks filed inside, looking around at the large, open room. A young man played a guitar on a slightly raised platform at one side of the room. Several tables were spread all over the place, groups of students cluttered at most of them. Jack led them to relatively quiet table in a corner by a window. After some slight bickering and the commandeering of a few extra chairs, they all sat down. Jack surveyed the monks with a look of distaste.

"Okay. Talk. What do you want with me?" he demanded, studying each of them in turn.

"You're supposed to come to the temple with us." Raimundo stated bluntly. Jack raised an eyebrow, his expression defiant.

"Yeah? Why would I want to do that?" he wanted to know, pushing back his hood. The monks all blinked in surprise. Jack stared back at them for a moment in confusion, then smirked. "Oh, what, you thought my hair was _naturally_ firetruck red? You're dumber than I thought. And I thought you were pretty dumb."

"Um, what was I saying?" Raimundo said, faltering lamely. He was still staring at Spicer's semi-normal hair. Kimiko rolled her eyes at their "Fearless leader's" antics.

"He wanted to know why he should come to the temple with us." She informed her comrade. She turned to Jack. "And to answer your question, it turns out your kind of. . .One of us." Jack leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm not buying it." He said. "I've already tried the whole Xiaolin monk thing. It didn't work out too well, remember?" This was directed towards Omi, whose eyebrows drew together.

"Yes, but this time it is much different." He replied gravely. "This time, it is fate! You are a Xiaolin Dragon, Jack Spicer!" Jack snorted.

"Yeah right. I'm not that stupid. I know how it works. There's a dragon for every element right? Well all four elements are taken by you guys. Bam, no more dragons. Try again." He said.

"That's about what we thought." Clay remarked. "But there's another element nobody knew about. The element of Spirit."

"And you think _I'm_ this spirit element?" Jack filled in skeptically, quirking an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah." Clay said incredulously.

"Okay, look, I don't know what you guys are going for, here, but it's not gonna work. I'm through with all of this magic balance-of-good-and-evil stuff. I don't care which Lin you are, count me out!" Jack said, his face darkening.

"Please, Jack Spicer! We can never triumph unless we are all as one! We need you to complete the pentagram!" Omi cried.

"Yeah. Right." Jack said. He stood up, suddenly angry. "Look, I've got a class in five minutes. You guys made me miss lunch with all your stupid crap. Thanks a _lot! _Would you just get out of here and leave me alone?" With that, he turned and stiffly strode away.

"Hey, wait!" Kimiko cried, jumping up and running after him. He didn't turn around. She grabbed his arm. That caused him to stop. When he turned to face her, his face held a look of darkness that she had never seen, even as his days as an evil boy genius.

"We really need you. Without you, the world will never fall into balance." Kimiko explained earnestly. For a moment, Jack seemed to be considering the offer. Then his face darkened once again.

"Maybe you should have thought of that," he said, almost in a growl, ripping his arm from her hand, "before you ridiculed me in front of my employers and role models, destroyed all my hard work, beat me up, and left me to fend for myself regularly back in the day!" Kimiko took a step back, her eyes wide.

"Jack…" she stammered, surprised by his vehemence.

"You have no idea what kind of crap I put up with from you guys. You made my life a living _hell_ almost daily, and thought it was the funniest damn thing you ever saw! Now you want me to come be part of your big, happy family like none of that ever happened? Well forget that!" Jack spat, shaking his head and walking away, leaving Kimiko staring after him, completely dumbfounded. She turned and walked back to her fellow monks.

"So, I reckon he didn't change his mind?" Clay guessed mildly. Kimiko shook her head.

"Nope." She replied, still looking dazed.

"What will we do, now?" Omi asked, looking up at his friends. They all shrugged, looking grim. At that moment, Dojo rejoined the group, laden down with several plates of greasy-looking food.

"These college kids sure know how to eat! Yum!" He remarked happily, taking a big bite out of a slice of pizza. "So, where's the extra weight?"

End Chapter One.

A/N: And you thought it wouldn't end on a happy note. Muahaha! We'll see about chapter two, later.

Reviews? I'm just a poor college kid, you know!


	2. Kimiko's Decision

Chapter Two: Kimiko's Decision

A/N: Yeah, I wasn't going to do this for, like, a week, but I _do_ have the first five chapters written down on my laptop, I just have to transpose them to a computer that actually connects to the 'net, and the first chapter got such great feedback, I felt obligated to put up the next chap. This one is longish too. For me, that is.

Story:

"So the new dragon is. . .Jack Spicer?" Dojo asked, clearly not convinced. The other warriors nodded grimly.

"You're sure?" the dragon questioned, silently praying that they say no.

"As sure as pecan pie at thanksgivin'." Clay remarked.

"But he refused our invitation to join the temple." Omi spoke up, sorrow lacing his generally energetic voice.

"I say good riddance. We don't need him." Raimundo said coldly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes we do! He is the final element. Without him, we are incomplete." Omi pointed out.

"Fifth element or not, there is no way I'm letting Jack Spicer on my team." Raimundo spat.

"Seems it's for the best, seein' as he don't want to be on our team anyway." Clay added. Kimiko sighed, her chin in her hands on the table.

"Can you really blame him?" she muttered, mostly to herself. But her fellow dragons stared at her in surprise. She looked up.

"Well, we're talking about Jack Spicer here," she pointed out. "The same guy that we used to beat up and make fun of every day. We never exactly rolled out the welcome mat. Maybe that bothered him."

"What are you _talking _about? He always came back for more with that goofy evil laugh of his! He was asking for it!" Raimundo cried. Clay shrugged.

"He's got a point, Kimiko. It never seemed to bug him before." He pointed out. Kimiko frowned.

"Just because somebody acts a certain way doesn't mean that's how they feel." She said defensively.

"What are we going to tell Master Fung?" Omi asked suddenly. The other monks looked at him. None of them had thought of that yet. What would the old master say when he found out what had happened?

"I say we just tell him who it was. He knows Jack isn't Xiaolin material." Raimundo replied.

"You're just giving up?" Kimiko demanded. The boys looked at her.

"What else are we supposed to do?" Raimundo demanded in return.

"Keep trying! Talk to him!"

"Why?" The question stunned the Dragon of Fire.

"Didn't you listen to a _word_ Master Fung said? We need Jack or else we'll never be complete!" She cried. Raimundo smirked.

"Aw, come on, Kim. We've made it this far pretty well, haven't we? I say we just go on like we never found out Jack was one of us." He said. "_He_ doesn't want to come with us. And we don't want him here, do we?"

"Like a cowboy wants a snake in his boot." Clay replied with a grin.

"Jack Spicer is our enemy." Omi chimed in.

"I definitely don't want him around." Dojo agreed. The four males looked at Kimiko, who looked down.

"Do we?" Raimundo repeated suspiciously. "Kimiko?"

"I don't know. I think we should give him a little bit more of a chance." Kimiko said hesitantly. She couldn't get over the look on Jack's face when he'd spoken of all the awful things they'd done to him.

"I can't believe this!" Raimundo cried, throwing his arms into the air. "Fine! You know what, you stay here. Try some more. Do whatever you want. We're going home, right guys?" The other two monks and the dragon looked hesitant.

"I dunno if that's a good idea, partner." Clay said softly.

"We cannot leave one of our own behind." Omi agreed. Kimiko glared at them pointedly.

"Neither can I." She stated. "Go. I think it's a good idea. I'm staying here until I can talk to Jack some more." Raimundo met her glare with one of his own.

"Fine." He said again, angrily. "Come on, guys." He stood and walked out of the building stonily. Omi watched the Dragon of Wind, then looked at Kimiko and sighed.

"Be careful, Kimiko. You do not know if Jack Spicer is still evil." He said seriously, then gave her what can only be described as a puppy-dog face. "Come home soon." She patted him on the head and smiled, like she had so many times before. Omi smiled at her in return and ran after Raimundo.

"The Fung-mister isn't going to like this one at all." Dojo muttered, following after Omi. He glanced over his shoulder at Kimiko. "Good luck, kid."

Kimiko looked up at Clay, who looked troubled. The big cowboy was like a big brother to her. He was always watching out for her. It figured he would get protective of her now, when she wanted to stay alone.

"What's up?" she asked him, mustering up as much brightness as she could. Clay sighed.

"I dunno, Kimiko. I don't like the idea of you stayin' here all by your lonesome." He said. Kimiko gave him a reassuring smile and punched him on the arm lightly.

"Come on, Clay, I'm a Wudai Warrior! I can fry anyone who tries anything. Besides, I'm seventeen. I think I can manage by myself for a few days." She said. "I'll be _fine_. Don't worry."

"Well. . .okay." the blond boy said, though he didn't look assured at all. "I still don't like it, but if you want to. . .just be careful, all right?"

"Yes, big brother." The Asian girl teased. Clay simply looked at her unhappily. She gave her large friend a hug.

"Me 'n Jack will be back home soon." She promised. "I can't wait to see the look on Rai's face. And you'd better go before he gets impatient and leaves without you." Clay nodded. He started for the door, looking back at Kimiko one more time, still troubled. Then he was gone. Kimiko sighed and flopped back down into her chair. So there she was in a foreign country with nothing but herself, her PDA, her cell phone, and a platinum credit card.

"The first order of business," she said to herself, "Is getting home base set up. Jack can wait." With that, the Dragon of Fire set off to find the nearest hotel, followed by the nearest mall.

Jack Spicer stormed out of the campus center angrily. He leaned against a large cement pole and closed his eyes for a moment. The Xiaolin monks were there. Why? Why couldn't they just leave him alone? He'd stayed out of their lives for almost two years, why couldn't they do the same for him? He sighed. He didn't want to be a part of their world anymore. He had had enough of it. He'd gotten quite tired of going through the same tortures every day. And _they _were always there to laugh at him and make fun of him. Not to mention their last battle. . .

And now they had the audacity to come ask him to be one of them? How stupid did they think he was? Jack sighed.

"Pull yourself together." He muttered to himself, making his way toward his next class. He made up his mind to forget the incident had ever happened. He had bigger, _realer _things to worry about now. However, the rest of his day was marred by the appearance of his once-adversaries. He could hardly concentrate on the remainder of his classes. He couldn't even concentrate on the people around him, the flirtatious grins of the girls that morning long forgotten.

At the end of the day, an exhausted Jack made his way home. He pulled in at a smallish yet nice house close to campus. His parents had bought it for him, completely thrilled that he actually wanted to do something _normal_ for once. They had been appalled when he had gotten kicked out of every school they had sent him to, more so when he informed him that he'd be taking over his own education from that point forward. Not that he couldn't handle it. He managed quite well on his own. But they were ecstatic when he asked them to help out with tuition fees. Thus, a house was his.

Jack walked inside and threw his things on the table. He heated up some Spaghetti-O's and sat down on the couch, deep in thought. He couldn't get his meeting with the Xiaolin warriors out of his head. It was driving him absolutely crazy, their being there. He just couldn't get over how they had shown up out of the blue and informed him that he was a dragon, demanding his return to the temple. It was just like them.

Once, it would have been a dream come true, joining the temple. He had always envied the Dragons, back in the day. They were always the best of friends, even when they screwed up. They were exactly like a big family, always looking out for each other, and being there for each other and having fun together. . . all the things Jack had never had in life. He had wanted to be one of them quite badly, even when he wasn't a Chosen One. He'd even tried to become a Xiaolin Monk once. But when his inevitable failure began to approach him, he gave up that dream. Eventually, after failing countless times at being evil, and running into an extreme dislike of _true_ evil, he gave up on that too. He just wasn't meant to do anything big or meaningful. He had then resigned himself to getting a degree in robotics and going to work for some technology corporation. His goal now was to fade out of existence and become another mindless drone in the background. Just to achieve normalcy would be a great enough feat for him. To turn his back on the existence of magic in the world; that would be an accomplishment indeed.

And for the past two years, he'd been doing rather well at it. Until the Xiaolins came and screwed it all up, just like always. Some things, Jack thought to himself as he began falling asleep on the couch, don't seem to stay forgotten.

The next day, Jack had no classes. He also discovered that he had no decent breakfast food. That meant either a trip to the store or a trip to a restaurant which was necessary. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt and grabbed his car keys. He walked outside to find someone sitting on the hood of his black Sunfire. His face darkened. Kimiko. The last person he wanted to see first thing in the morning. Or any other time of day, for that matter.

"Get off my car." He snapped, striding over to her. Kimiko shook her head.

"Nope. We gotta talk." She said. Jack glared at her.

"I think not." He said, then he blinked and tilted his head to one side curiously. "Hey, how do you even know where I live?"

"I might have hacked into the school's registry." The Asian monk admitted. "What happened to the infamous heli-bot?"

"I...gave it up when I gave up evil." Jack replied, looking away.

"So no more robots?" Kimiko guessed. Jack looked at her for a long moment, his face unreadable. Finally, he gave her a small grin.

"Nah, what do you think I'm majoring in?" He asked in reply. He sighed, leaning on the roof of his car, staring at the girl sitting on the hood.

"You're not leaving, are you?" It wasn't really a question, so much as a statement of facts.

"No. We're going to talk, Spicer." Kimiko said. Jack caught a flash of the infamous fire in the warrior's eyes. He sighed again, the old feeling of defeat washing over him. Well, he thought, better get it over with.

"Okay, fine. Get in." He unlocked the doors. Kimiko slid off the hood and into the car. Normally, getting into a car with a guy who had at one time been evil wouldn't be the best of ideas. However, she ignored that thought and buckled her seatbelt.

"Where are we going?" she asked, looking over at her temporary companion. He stuck a key into the ignition.

"Somewhere where they serve breakfast burritos." Jack replied, starting the car. Kimiko giggled. Jack didn't. He remained grim as he pulled out of the driveway and into the street. It was a quiet four blocks to the nearest fast-food place. They went inside, got their food, and found a table. Finally, Jack spoke.

"So, let's get this over with." He said. "You still want me to join your little power-ranger team and I still think you're dumb for even thinking about asking me, right?" Kimiko frowned.

"I'm going to overlook the fact that you just called me dumb," she began, "and move on to the part where I ask you to reconsider." Jack smirked.

"Okay, considering. . ." he paused dramatically. "Right, _no_. There you go. Goodbye."

"That's not good enough." Kimiko said, frowning. "I want to know why." Jack's smirk faded.

"Didn't you listen yesterday? I'm not joining up with the same people who treated me like crap for most of my teenage years!" he snapped.

"I get where you're coming from. I mean, we're willing to overlook your past—" Jack cut her off with a grim laugh. Kimiko looked at him in confusion.

My past? _My_ past? You don't know a thing about my past, sweet-pea!" the once evil boy said. Kimiko was startled for only a moment.

"Now we're getting somewhere." She said with a grin. "You're right, Jack. I don't know anything about you. So talk. Tell me about your past." Jack's crimson eyes narrowed.

"Wait, you're asking me to tell you . . .about me?" He asked, to be clear.

"Well, yeah." Kimiko replied, shrugging. This seemed to confound Jack. He sat back in his seat. For a long time, he simply stared at the Dragon of Fire, his mind spinning. Finally, he settled on a decent reaction befitting his current situation. He smirked at her.

"I should have known this would happen." He said with an air of arrogant regret, shaking his head. Kimiko frowned suspiciously.

"Known what would happen?" She wanted to know. Jack sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"After all these years, you finally fell for me. I'm flattered, Kimiko, really, I am." He said smoothly. Kimiko's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"Yeah, I knew it would happen someday. It's really not my fault. Happens to lots of girls." Jack continued, his old arrogance coming back naturally. Without warning nor explanation, his cheek suddenly seemed to catch fire. He let out a yelp and put a hand to his face. He hadn't even seen her reach across the table, but Kimiko had, without a doubt, slapped him. So naturally, he remarked loudly:

"You slapped me!" Kimiko had to bite back a grin. Showdowns just hadn't been the same without that particular whine. But she kept her posture and settled for smiling at him sweetly.

"You deserved it." She replied, shrugging. "Don't be a pig and this won't be a problem." Jack made a face and picked up his half-eaten burrito.

"And she wonders why I won't come play ninjas with her." He muttered into it before taking a large bite.

"That's it? You won't help us put the _world_ into order because you got slapped every once in a while?" Kimiko let out a very un-ladylike snort. "What a baby!" The burrito hit the plate with a noise that can only be described as _fap_. Jack's pale face hardened.

"What are you _talking_ about?" he demanded. "Slapping me is just the tip of the ice berg, babe."

"First of all, no more pet names. Second, elaborate." Kimiko shot back.

"Elaborate? Sure, okay! Besides all your martial arts, Xiaolin element magic attack things, and all the other ways you beat up every day, let's talking about blowing up my robots in my face. Never mind the fact that I spent a lot of time and work on those, just to have you guys blow them up in two seconds. Have you ever had a bunch of metal and electronic stuff thrown into your face? Yeah, that kind of hurts. Oh yeah, and so does getting knocked out of the air when people break your copters. And did you know that when someone does that and is _kind_ enough to drop you in a lake or something, you end up getting electrocuted? Yeah, that sort of hurts, too. I mean, not to be a whiner or anything, but that's a little above your average tingle, you know?" Jack spat sarcastically. By now, he was standing, his surroundings forgotten.

"Okay, and let's talk about insults! Let's talk about being made fun of in front of people you admire and want to accept you! Let's talk about being rejected! Let's talk about getting yelled at by everyone for everything from losing a Showdown to screwing up a master-plan, to being late for _dinner_ because I had to try and get home with a broken heli-bot! Or hey, I know, I have a better idea. Let's not talk at all!" With a snarl, Jack turned away.

"All right." Kimiko said, her voice eerily calm, stopping Jack in his tracks. He looked back at her. She, too, was standing, her arms crossed.

"My turn." She said. "Let's talk about being double crossed. Or how about kidnapped. Or maybe tricked. About being robbed constantly. Ooh, and let's not forget all of _your_ witty insults. Not to mention all the crap you screwed up that _we_ had to fix. If it wasn't for you, remember, Wu Ya wouldn't have ever been released in the first place! Which would mean that we wouldn't have had to draw so much attention to ourselves, attention from people like Chase Young and Hannibal Roy Bean. Which would basically mean that the world would have been just fine if you hadn't stepped in and made our job so much harder!" Jack was fully facing her now.

"So you think that makes us equal?" he wanted to know. "Hate to break it to you, _sweet pea_, but it doesn't! So I made your life complicated. Good grief, what did I tell you yesterday? You made mine a nightmare!"

"So fine! Tell me what to do." Kimiko said, holding out her hands. Jack tilted his head to one side, confusion written on his face.

"What do you mean?" He asked suspiciously.

"What can I do to make things better between us? To make it up to you?" Kimiko explained. "I'd apologize, but somehow, I don't think it would mean anything to you if I did."

"So, what, are you trying to bribe me now? Do you really want me on your team that bad? Or is this about proving your stupid friends wrong?" Jack narrowed his eyes at her again.

"No, I'm not trying to bribe you, though yeah, we really need you on the team. According to this lost scroll deal, anyway. But no, for now, I just want to make up for all the awful stuff we did to you…_I_ did to you back then." Kimiko paused, then grinned. "Though I have to admit, I'm already picturing the look on Rai's face when we get to the temple..."

"Yeah." Jack shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'm not buying it. Sorry, kid, but I don't know about this whole thing. How do I know you're not out for revenge?"

"I guess you just have to trust me." Kimiko replied honestly. "So. . .I have an idea. Let's hang out." Jack looked at her as though she'd just used the Moby Morpher to give herself another head.

"Hang out?"

"Yeah, like go see a movie or go to the mall or the arcade or something." Kimiko looked up at him hopefully. He looked back at her for a long time, considering her offer.

"You really are insane. I hope you enjoyed breakfast, Kimiko, because I don't ever want to see you again." He said finally, looking away. Kimiko couldn't see his face, but the tone of his voice was hard and bitter.

"Jack. . .?" she said quietly. Without looking at her, Jack walked away, leaving a very stunned and a very confused Kimiko in his wake.

End Chapter Two.

A/N: Yay me! So to answer reviews

Hellfist: I HEART YOU, LITTLE BROTHER! YOURE THE BESTEST!

Daxo: Yeah. Silly Xiaolins. Lol, and there's nothing wrong with being a college kid…but you can get nifty discounts at random places if you tell the people you're just a poor college kid…I know a guy who got an entire happy meal from McD's for free that way

Rhyiann: Eee, I love your reviews. I'm glad they're in character…some of 'em are hard to do! I'll update as much as I can…promise! XD

Deadness: . Wait and see, my friend. And I heart the eyeliner, too. There will be an eyeliner attack before this fic is through, no worries. YAY FOR ALMONDS! ...munch munch...


	3. Clay

Chapter Three: Clay

A/N: This chapter isn't going to be half as fun as the other two, but its important for the plot, so it has to be done. I totally heart Clay. He's my second favorite character. I don't know why. He just is. Anyway, this one is funky because it starts from the beginning of the last chapter, at the Breaking of the Fellowship, and then follows the guys up to present-time. We clear now? Okay. Onward! (I talk far too much.)

Story:

_At the college the previous day…_

Clay walked outside to find Omi waiting for him. His small friend was no longer smiling. Instead, he looked as though he were dealing with some rather tough inner turmoil.

"I do not wish to leave Kimiko alone, but I do not wish for Raimundo to go home by himself either." He said, looking up at Clay. The cowboy scratched his head, sighing.

"I know what you mean, little partner." He said. Omi thought for a moment.

"Perhaps if we used the Ring of Nine Dragons, I could split into two and one of me could stay here and one could return to the temple." He suggested.

"Nah, that don't ever seem to turn out right, remember?" Clay replied, shaking his head.

"Then what should we do? We are out of a cucumber!" Omi cried worriedly. The blond cowboy couldn't help but grin.

"That's 'In a pickle' and you're right. But I don't think there's anything we _can _ do, Omi. We'd better just go home." He said. For once, the Dragon of Earth was less than honest. He planned on going home, yes, but he did not intend to stay there. However, Omi had no way of knowing that. He nodded solemnly.

"Yes, you are right, Clay. Perhaps Master Fung will have some knowledge for us." The yellow monk said, hope reentering his voice. Together, the two warriors ran to the spot where Raimundo and Dojo were waiting for them.

"Sheesh, took you long enough. What'd you do, recite her a poem?" the Brazilian boy demanded cheekily.

"No." Omi replied incredulously. "Must we really leave Kimiko behind?" He blinked up at the leader of the team, hoping the answer would be in the negative.

"Absolutely." Raimundo crossed his arms over his chest. "If she'd rather waste her time with Spicer than come back with me—with us," he caught himself quickly, "then she can do whatever she wants. Who'm I to stop her?"

"You're supposed to be the leader, Rai." Clay reminded his friend gently. "You're supposed to direct us and look out for us. For her."

"It wasn't my choice, Clay. It was hers. And she chose Spicer." Raimundo spat. Clay and Omi exchanged glances. Somehow, they got the feeling that the Dragon of Wind's feelings were not about the quest alone. Dojo morphed to his true size. The dragon did not look happy at all.

"Come on, guys. Let's get home and see what we should do about this whole mess." he said. Raimundo leapt angrily onto his back, without another word. Omi and Clay followed, both silent as well. The trip home was a long one.

- - -

"Kimiko has made a wise decision."

"_What?"_ The shocked cry came from all three warriors.

"She has chosen to continue the quest I gave you all. I find that to be a very wise decision indeed, don't you?" Master Fung raised his eyebrows, looking at his pupils intently.

"We're talking about Jack Spicer, remember? You know, Jack Spicer, _Evil_ Boy Genius?" Raimundo moodily reminded the old monk.

"I believe we are talking about a Xiaolin Chosen One." Master Fung rebuked him gently. "You cannot judge a man by his past. You were not always the greatest example of good, if I remember correctly, Raimundo." The boy's green eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed.

"Fine. Whatever." He muttered, storming from the room, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. Clay and Omi watched him go, then turned back to Master Fung.

"But, ah, what should we do?" Omi asked. "Should we go back to help Kimiko?" Hopefulness was apparent in the boy's face, as well as his voice.

"No. This is Kimiko's quest now. You thee gave it up when you came home. She must now finish this task alone." The old monk said.

"You mean we failed." Omi said, bowing his head. "I will be in the courtyard, if anyone should need me." With that, Omi turned and walked solemnly outside. Master Fung turned to his only remaining student.

"You have been quiet, Clay." He observed. The cowboy looked up.

"Oh, sorry, Master Fung. Just thinkin' is all." He said.

"Surely you must have an argument against this situation?" The tone of the monk's voice suggested an open floor for questioning. Clay merely shrugged, face grim.

"Didn't like the idea then, don't like it now. But it ain't like I can do anything about it." He paused, noticing the look on his mentor's face. "Right?"

"You have a large heart, young monk. Follow it." Master Fung said cryptically. Clay blinked. _He knew_. Clay didn't know how, but somehow, Master Fung knew what he was planning. Not only that, but he seemed to approve of the idea. The blond cowboy bowed and left the room, his head spinning.

- - -

That night, Clay waited until everyone else in the temple was asleep. He crept the Shen Gong Wu vault. It was time to see if his hunch was right. He activated the stairs into the vault. No alarm sounded, and no one came into the room. He was right. Master Fung had to have known, or someone would be there to stop him. Clay shook off yet another feeling of astonishment and gathered a carefully planned assortment of Wu. Once packed, Clay went out into the courtyard. He took a deep breath, already hating his plan. He hated lying and going behind his friends' backs but it had to be done.

"Golden Tiger Claws," he whispered, ripping open a portal and jumping through. He vanished from the eyes of his unseen observer. Master Fung smiled to himself from the shadows, then returned to bed.

Clay reappeared on the same hill he and his teammates had landed on during their first trip. He blinked confusedly in the bright sunlight for a moment. _Oh yeah,_ he remembered, _other side of the world._ He pulled a Shen Gong Wu from the pocket of his jeans.

"Compass of Shinabi! Find Kimiko's hotel!" He commanded. He followed the compass to a rather high class hotel. He walked inside and found the correct room. He put the compass away, producing yet another Wu.

"Serpent's Tail!" he muttered, pulling out the Shen Gong Wu. He stepped through the door and into a fancy suite. Though this was to be expected while traveling as Kimiko Tohomiko, and though they had stayed in such places whilst on search for Shen Gong Wu, the cowboy was always surprised at the plush city finery displayed in hotel suites like the one he was standing in. In fact, he was so busy inspecting the room that Clay didn't hear the door open behind him.

"Three thirty? Thanks, Daddy. I will. I won't. Love you too." Clay whirled around just as Kimiko snapped her cell phone shut and looked up. Her blue eyes widened and she half screamed, half gasped. The resulting sound was something of a high-pitched squeak.

"Clay?" she cried in astonishment. "What are you doing here? And how did you get here?" The Japanese girl looked around, half expecting to see Dojo and her other friends rummaging through her room. Her gaze settled on Clay who was looking at the floor with a face as red as (As he himself would put it, were he to look in a mirror) a ketchup covered pig with a sunburn.

"I, uh, wanted to come help ya." He said, voice quiet with embarrassment. He shyly held out the Shen Gong Wu he had brought with him. Kimiko closed the door and walked over to her large friend, her face unreadable. She inspected the Wu in Clay's hands with some interest.

"Golden Tiger Claws. So that's how you got here." She said, humor lacing her grim tone. "Serpent's Tail, Compass of Shinabi, Shroud of Shadows. . .Not bad. I bet you have the Fist of Tebigong under your hat, too." Clay reddened further, pulling the named Wu from its usual place under his hat. Kimiko took it from him and slid it onto her own small hand. She inspected it for a moment, then looked up at Clay, anger now shining from her eyes. The cowboy winced slightly, bracing himself for the coming attack, but it never came.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I don't need your help, Clay." Kimiko tossed his favorite Wu back to him. He expertly caught it on top of the pile already in his hands, then laid the whole mess on a nearby table, knocking over a vase of flowers in doing so.

"I know." He said, picking up the vase, thankful that the flowers were fake, and thus had no water. "But Master Fung told me. . .well. . .he told me somethin'. And I knew I had to come." Clay busied himself with putting each flower back into the vase one by one, not wanting to look at his comrade. He had a strange feeling that if he looked at her, she would know why he was really there.

"Why? So you could be some valiant knight and protect me from Jack Spicer?" Kimiko scoffed.

"Well, no." Clay replied slowly, his cheeks heating up again, knowing that was exactly what he wanted to do.

"Then why are you here, Clay Bailey?" Kimiko demanded. Having no more flowers to arrange, the cowboy had no choice but to turn back around.

"I don't like this plan. Ain't right for one of us to go on solo missions. Always ended bad, if I remember right." He said firmly. "And I reckon us dragons, well, we gotta stick together." This was said with a small smile. Kimiko didn't return the grin.

"If we 'gotta stick together,' then why did you sneak out and come here by yourself?" she wanted to know, putting her hands on her hips. Clay's smile faded. He let his arms fall to his sides.

"I came because. . ." he paused, knowing he would probably be hit for what he said next. "Because I was worried about you, Kimiko." Kimiko sighed.

"Don't be." She said, giving him a determined look. "Clay, I can do this. And I can do it by myself."

"I just don't trust him, Kim. And I don't like the fact that you do. It's lookin' like a mighty fine way to get led into a trap." Clay said. "I just. . .I'm just tryin' to look out for you."

"I'm being careful. I'm not stupid, you know." Kimiko pointed out.

"I know." The cowboy replied quietly.

"I know you want to help, but if I need your help, I'll ask you for it, okay?" Why Kimiko was being so oddly understanding was beyond Clay, not that he wasn't relieved. She walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Go home, Clay." She said. The cowboy's blue eyes fell to the ground.

"You really want me to go?" he asked forlornly.

"I can do this by myself." Kimiko repeated. "And if I need help, I'll call. Promise."

"All right." Clay said. "You want me to leave the Wu.?"

"I won't need them." Kimiko replied.

"Even the Golden Tiger Claws? How're you plannin' on getting' home?" Clay wanted to know.

"My dad's got it covered." Kimiko assured him. "Get outta here, cowboy." Clay sighed, feeling extremely defeated. And by a girl, no less. He gathered up his Wu and looked at Kimiko sadly.

"Don't stay to long." He said. "And. . .don't be mad at me. I hate it when you're mad at me." Kimiko bit her lip.

"Clay. . ." she started. He looked up at her. She sighed. "You can stay and keep an eye on me if you really want to. Just let me take care of Spicer, okay?" Clay's befreckled face brightened.

"Okay." He agreed happily. Never mind the fact that he had no idea what he was going to do considering Kimiko was taking care of all the work. As long as he got to stay and keep an eye on her, he didn't really care.

Just so long as she let him stay.

**End Chapter Three.**

Meh, that was short and oddly ClayxKimiko. I do heart that pairing. He's so big and she's so tiny, I love it.

But who knows how it'll end up. XD

Review replies! I won't do all of 'em since some I did personally….

H3llfist: There's your name, kiddo. Thanks for the support! Bestest brother ever.

Foxycila: You know, I do love the Albino Jack theory…it's not proven or anything, but it's very cool 'cos albinos are so pretty. But for some reason I had this mental image in my head of him the way I described him, so that's sort of how I left it. And yeah, the dragon of darkness thing kinda bugs me…then you have to get a dragon of LIGHT in there somewhere, too, so that's annoying. That usually means OC. :P

Firebender Kitty: XD I know it! It'll happen.

Daxo: WAH! Too many questions!!!! hides lol, no, actually, I had considered most of those, except for one. But it'll happen in the plot, don't worry. Most of those will be answered soon. In fact, the very next chapter includes the Last Battle.

Oh yeah, and actually it _is_ Jack's fault that Hannibal Bean got released…if he hadn't gone into the secret prison-y thing to begin with, the Xiaolins woulda never got the chance to let him out. Lol…to quote Good Jack "I told him not to go in there, but does he listen to me? Nooo!"

If I missed anyone, I offer a thousand apologies, and a hypothetical cookie.

Chapter Four probly will be up this weekend.

I asketh thee to review, now, and yeah. It would be nifty. Very nifty.


	4. A Flashback Or Two

Chapter Four: A Flashback or Two

A/N: Okay, I keep updating when I haven't planned to. This is the last pre-completed chapter. Five is partially written, and the rest I just have planned (The rest? I don't even know how many I'll have. Meh.) But here I am. Oh, and I'm sorry about the random cut in narration to explain Kimiko's hair…I was randomly inspired by the hairstyle of a girl in my English class, and so I had to write it in. Yes, I'm retarded. Leave me alone. XD

Sorry for any screwups in this one...I've got a monster flu-thing going and so I'm not wholly sane...

Story:

In a smallish house not far from where Kimiko and Clay were having their reunion, things had been turned upside down. Closets were thrown open, items had been tossed about, and the owner of the entire mess was sitting on the floor, surrounded by boxes. One was sitting open in front of him, several of its contents unpacked and spread on the floor. These included a tattered trenchcoat, a pair of cracked yellow goggles with yellow swirls on them, and a red notebook with a young teen's scrawl proclaiming "Jack Spicer's Evil Journal: Do Not Touch. This means YOU Ashley! And the Xiaolin Losers! (and Wu Ya, too.)" on the front.

"Wow, it's been a while." The once-evil boy genius remarked to no one in particular. He held up the goggles, polishing them fondly on the bottom of his black t-shirt. Just for kicks, Jack mussed up his hair and put the goggles in their old familiar place on his forehead. He laughed to himself, standing up to put on the trench-coat. It was now even shorter than it had been, the frayed sleeves not even reaching his wrists. He struck an over-dramatic pose.

"I'm Jack Spicer, Evil Boy Genius! I—wait, how'd it go? Oh yeah. I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown!" He cried in a voice Raimundo might have used to make fun of the Jack of the past. He laughed again, though this time the laugh was filled with bitterness.

"Yeah, a showdown which I'll inevitably lose, and then you'll leave me broken and beaten on the ground with nothing to show for all the crap I'd just gone through. But do you care or even notice? Nah." Jack took off the trenchcoat and flung it on the ground. He took off the goggles and stared into them. "You guys would just run off, hand in hand, over the rainbow. Yay team, right? And now, now you want _me_ to be a part of all that." Jack sank back to the floor. The goggles fell from his hands as she slid back into his own thoughts.

"Oh, Kimiko." He sighed. "Do you have any idea how many times I wished you'd want me back in the day? How much I wanted you to say exactly what you're saying to me now?" Jack looked at his own hands, as though expecting an answer to appear there.

"What am I gonna do?" Jack's voice shrank to a whisper. "I'm getting exactly what I always wanted, but there's no way I can do this. I just…I can't." His arms fell to the sides, and his fingers brushed the goggles. He picked them up once more, staring into their cracked surface. How many times had he been forced to find a new pair after a showdown, in which they got cracked or broken entirely? But this pair, his last pair, he had never bothered to repair or replace. They were still cracked from the last time he had gone up against the four monks. . .

_Jack threw his wrench across the room with a growl of frustration. He had just spent an entire night repairing and upgrading his Jack-bots. Looking at them standing there spotlessly, he knew it was hopeless. Every time he built a better robot, the Xiaolin monks would just destroy it as though it were nothing. He leaned forward on his worktable, deep in thought. What was wrong with them? Jack sighed. Perhaps the problem was in his design. He had created his robots as a distraction, not to seriously hurt anyone. He wanted them to challenge his enemies, scare off intruders, and simply distract people until he had time to get what he wanted. Maybe that was the problem. They were harmless. . .and perhaps that made them too simple. _

_Jack took apart the first of the newly repaired Jack-bots. He studied the behavior chip for a moment, hesitating before taking the safety off. _

"_They want a fight, I'll give 'em one. There won't be any mercy this time. They won't make fun of me, Jack Spicer, Evil Boy Genius ever again!" he declared grimly, putting the robot back together. Robot Alpha, state your mission." _

"_Command acknowledged. Authorization: Master Jack Spicer. Primary Mission: Stop all enemies of Master Jack Spicer and Master Jack Spicer's command using highest logical method of action." The robot replied in its mechanical voice. Jack nodded. _

"_Very good." He said. He walked over to the closet under the stairs, in which he stored some of his more personal, less battle-ready robots. He activated the Yes-Bot._

"_Hey there, Jack-o! What can I do to make your life more convenient?" the robot asked happily. _

"_Yes-Bot, I want you to take the safeties off all the Jack-Bots' behavior chips." Jack commanded. He thought a moment. "And find me a pudding cup!" _

"_Excellent ideas, as usual! I'll get right on it!" The Yes-Bot replied, tossing Jack a pudding cup before rolling merrily away to carry out his creator's orders. Jack went to bed knowing that the next time he went up against the Xiaolin monks, things would turn out different. He didn't know how right he was. _

_The chance to test out his improved program came sooner than he thought. The next day, a new Wu activated. Jack activated his army of Jack-Bots and took off. _

"_Jack Spicer!" The familiar cry welcomed Jack as he hovered above his arch nemeses. "Prepare for a most humiliating defeat!" _

"_Not today, Cue-Ball! Jack-bots! Attack!" Jack shouted. His robots flew into action with a vigor that surprised even Jack. He watched as the shocked Xiaolin warriors fought his new and improved Jack-Bots for a moment before heading for the Wu. It was shaped like a golden ear, adorned with several ornate earrings. Jack grabbed it and turned around. The triumphant sarcasm that he had planned to bestow upon his rivals flew from his mind as the scene before him unfolded. Jack had turned just in time to see two Jack-Bots grab Kimiko, one on each arm. A third aimed its laser cannon for a particularly deadly spot between the girl's wide blue eyes. Horror gripped Jack as he realized with a chill that his robots weren't going to be firing a petty stun-laser at Kimiko. This time, the laser was real. _

"_J-Jack-Bots! Deactivate!" Jack cried, the Shen Gong Wu falling to the ground, forgotten and unwanted. The robot which was prepared to execute the only girl Jack had ever loved spoke without turning toward him. _

"_Command overridden. Command conflicts with Primary Mission." It replied. Jack threw himself at the robot just as it fired, knocking its aim off. The laser grazed the side of Kimiko's head. She cried out in pain as blood began to trickle town her cheek. The robot, free of Jack's grip, took aim again and began to power up its laser. Jack leapt to his feet. _

"_Override Primary Mission! Authorization 5225! Primary Command Delta India Echo! Execute now!" Jack yelled. "NOW!" Instantly, the Jack-Bots fell to pieces. The other Xiaolin monks looked at each other, confused as to why their enemies had suddenly crumbled, utterly unaware of what had nearly taken place. Jack didn't notice them, nor did he even remember they existed. He ran to Kimiko's side, shoving the pieces of his robots off of her. He fell to his knees beside her unconscious form, gathering the girl into his arms. _

"_What in tarnation…" Clay began, noticing what was happening for the first time. Omi and Raimundo looked over to where their enemy knelt, holding Kimiko to his chest while rocking back and forth. _

"_Let go of her!" Raimundo shouted, running over, his anger growing by the second. _

_Jack noticed the approach of Kimiko's teammates. He looked up at them, tears streaming down his cheeks, leaving dark eyeliner streaks on his paler-than-usual face. His crimson eyes were filled with horror and guilt. _

"_I didn't mean to, I could've. . ." He whispered hoarsely as sobs wracked his body. _

"_What did you do, Spicer?" Clay demanded evenly. "What's wrong with Kimiko?" _

"_I didn't want to hurt anyone. I didn't, I swear, I didn't mean for this. . .oh god, I could have. . . it was an accident. I didn't want this to happen. . .I never. . .not her, not Kimiko." Jack said mournfully, bowing his head after saying her name. Clay and Raimundo exchanged glances. Raimundo nodded, then darted forward, prying Kimiko from the arms of his enemy. He gasped, as blood soaked his fingers, followed by how much was already on his comrade's face and gi(1)._

"_Spicer! What did you do?" Raimundo cried. He shoved Kimiko into a shocked Clay's arms and flew at Jack, fists flying. Jack didn't even try to fight back, knowing he deserved every blow. When Raimundo ran out of steam, Jack welcomed the darkness that came over him gratefully. _

_It was hours before Jack managed to pull himself to his feet. He looked around at his broken robots. For the first time in his life, he didn't see possibilities when he looked at that hardware scattered across the otherwise empty field. He didn't see things begging to be built. He didn't even see months of hard work destroyed, like he usually did. He saw monsters. He saw Kimiko being shot before his very eyes again and again. He heard the cold voice that used to be his only friend telling him that he himself ordered what could have very well been her death. For the first time in his life, Jack Spicer didn't want to build robots. He piled the pieces together, making sure the oil leaking from them covered everything. He pulled a lighter from his pocket and set the whole pile aflame. He didn't want his lethal army to hurt anyone ever again. As he watched his robots burn, his watch let out a cheerful beep, informing him that a new Shen Gong Wu had been activated. Jack stared at it in horror. _

_No more Wu. No more Showdowns. No more fighting. No more. _

"_I can't." He whispered apologetically, taking the watch from his wrist and flinging it into the fire along with the nearly-charred remains of his once-beloved robots. "I can't." _

"I can't. . ." Jack whispered once more, lost in memory. He shook his head. He hadn't thought of that dark day in a long while. He wondered how Kimiko could bear to even look at him. He had almost killed her. He looked down at the goggles in his hands and gazed into their swirled surface thoughtfully. On the other hand, he was quite different than he had been. Perhaps that was why she seemed all right with talking to him. An interesting thought occurred to Jack. He grinned, though the grin was entirely devoid of humor, filled instead with mischief. Jack Spicer, Evil Boy Genius, was about to make a reappearance.

Four o'clock brought a knock at Jack's door. He, however, was otherwise occupied and didn't answer it.

"Jack? Hello?" Kimiko called. She frowned. His car was in the driveway, he had to be home. She tried the doorknob. It was open. She stepped into the living room of her ex-enemy and looked around in shock. The place was a mess. Boxes, notebooks, and large, rolled up sheets of paper littered the floor. She unrolled one of the large sheets of paper with her foot, to find it was a set of schematics for one of Jack's various robots. She leaned down and inspected the plans with some interest. She knew a little bit about technology from her father, and this was no simple plan. So he really _was_ a genius.

"So nice of you to go through my stuff." A voice said coldly. Kimiko jumped, looking up to find Jack Spicer standing before her, smirking. Her jaw dropped. The boy standing before her was not the semi-normal looking teenage boy she had seen that morning. He was the Jack of her past. He was dressed from head to foot in black, though he was barefoot. He even had the strange curl under his eye in black eyeliner, just like he had before. A fluffy towel was wrapped around his head, but Kimiko had a feeling that the hair underneath was once more firetruck red.

"Jack. . ." she said, not really knowing where she was going with that particular sentence. Jack unwrapped the towel, though he gave his hair a good rub with it before removing it completely. As Kimiko had guessed, his hair was the same color as she remembered. He noticed her staring at him.

"You like it? Yeah, you guys showing up and all, well, it kind of sent me on a trip down memory lane. I kinda missed the old me." Jack said dreamily. He watched Kimiko's face carefully. The Japanese girl was staring at him. No, not at him. _Past _him. Into almost the very same flashback he himself had experienced a few hours previously. He had no way of knowing this, though he did have his guesses. And he guessed that his plan was working perfectly.

Kimiko, on the other hand, was seeing a completely different person than the one who stood before her. She was looking at a cruel boy who had nearly killed her almost two years before. . .

_It had been a basic day for Kimiko. New Shen Gong Wu, the usual banter, an attack from one Jack Spicer that went horribly, horribly wrong. _

_Kimiko found herself strung between two of Jack's robots, a third pointing a laser directly at her face. She struggled against the two robots holding her, but something was wrong; the robots were stronger than usual for some reason. She heard Jack scream at the robot, though she couldn't quite make out what he said. The robot powered its laser and fired. By some miracle, Kimiko realized she was not dead. On the downside, she knew this because of the searing pain in her head as the laser grazed her. Blood ran down her face as she cried out in pain. Suddenly, the robots dropped her to the ground. She blacked out, bouncing her already wounded head against something hard. _

_Kimiko woke up several hours later in her own pallet back at the temple. Her friends surrounded her, concern written all over their faces. _

"_Kimiko!" Omi cried happily. She winced; her head ached. _

"_What happened?" She murmured. She tried to sit up, but failed. She touched her head, feeling a thick bandage there. The three boys looming over her frowned, their faces darkening simultaneously. _

"_That no good varmint, Jack Spicer tried to kill you off." Clay told her, anger lacing the normally calm cowboy's voice. Kimiko's eyes narrowed as she remembered him screaming at the robot, probably egging it on. _

"_I'll kill him." She growled. _

"_Don't worry, Rai took care of that." Clay said, allowing a somewhat mischievous grin to cross his features. Kimiko looked at Raimundo who smirked darkly. _

"_I don't think he'll ever mess with you again." He confirmed, crossing his arms over his chest proudly. _

"_Thanks, Rai." Kimiko said gratefully, closing her eyes for a moment. The boys exchanged glances and left the room silently, smiling warmly at her in turn. She stared at the ceiling. So. Jack Spicer had nearly killed her, and the Raimundo had nearly killed him. Somehow, Kimiko didn't quite feel soothed. Instead, she was angry. Spicer and his stupid robots. They had never been dangerous before. He had to have been deliberately out for blood. _

"_I'll kill him myself." She decided. "I'll get my own revenge someday." _

"Someday. . ." Kimiko whispered to herself.

"Huh?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow. Kimiko looked up at him, reminding herself hurriedly that all of that happened a long time ago. Jack was different, he wasn't evil anymore. But it was no small task. He looked like the Jack that had haunted her nightmares for months after that day. He looked exactly like the boy who had stood over her, laughing as she struggled to lift herself from pools of her own blood ever night in her dreams.

"Nothing." Kimiko replied, looking away. "So I see you still live like a slob."

"So, what, you're here to judge my cleaning skills?" Jack demanded, frowning.

"No, I . ." Kimiko faltered.

"I thought I told you to stay away from me!" Jack said sharply.

_Jack-bots! ATTACK!_ Kimiko took a step back, visibly flinching. She shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to talk." She said, not looking at him. Jack tossed the towel that had been on his head onto a chair.

"Didn't we already cover this? I don't _want _to talk to you, Kimiko. I don't want to have anything to do with you." He said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"But I don't think you're giving us a chance." Kimiko replied.

"Giving you a chance? Did you ever give me one?" Jack snapped. Kimiko finally looked up at him, her blue eyes aflame.

"You know what? Yes we did!" She exclaimed. Jack blinked. That was not the answer he had expected, nor did he expect that reaction. Kimiko took a step toward him, her stance battle-ready.

"We gave you every opportunity to become good, Jack Spicer. Even when the rest of us were sick of your crap, Omi insisted on letting you come. Again and again we gave you chances and you blew it every time!" She lashed out, stabbing a finger in his general direction rather forcefully. Jack snorted derisively.

"Yeah? You never really gave me a chance. You never really believed I could change! You only put up with me because Omi asked you to. If it wasn't for him, you would have left me out in the dark!" he shot back. "You guys never wanted me on the team. I don't know why you're having this sudden change of heart." Kimiko let out a frustrated cry.

"I am sick and tired of your stupid emo whining!" She yelled marching right up to Jack. "All I've heard from you this _whole _time is 'wah wah wah, poor me, look at the injustice!' well guess what? You're absolutely right, Jack! I never wanted your whiny, shrimpy ass on our team! You know why? Because I flat-out _don't like you_! In case you forgot, the last time we saw each other, you tried to kill me! And I'm the only one here. Yeah, the other guys left me here all by myself because you know what? They don't like you either! But here I am, trying to convince you to come back with me. So get off your stupid emo-trip and stop making this more difficult than it already is!" Every few words, Kimiko jabbed him in the chest, shoving the surprised Jack back against a wall. He stared at her as she glared at him, her breath coming quick and hard. He didn't speak, he simply stared at her in awe and, admittedly, a good deal of fear. Kimiko realized how close they were and took a step back, placing her hands on her hips.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?" She asked quietly, though not without fierceness. It was Kimiko's turn to be surprised as Jack's eyes darkened and dropped to the floor.

"If nobody wants me, then why are you here?" He wanted to know, his voice very quiet. Kimiko sighed, running a hand through her hair, which was at the moment short and spiked, with bursts of red and orange thrown in on top as though confetti had fallen into her hair.

"Because I have to. It's destiny. The fates decided that you're one of us. I don't' have any other choice but to put my grudge aside and welcome you with open arms." She said seriously. Jack's eyes stayed on the floor.

"But you don't even like me." He stated softly.

"But without you, we're incomplete. It hasn't made a difference yet, but something tells me that we're going to find out why the Fifth Dragon is so important soon. If you're not there, a piece will be missing, and we'll lose. The world will be lost." Kimiko explained. "We need you, Jack." For a long time, Jack didn't move, nor did he speak. Finally, he looked up at Kimiko.

"You don't need me." He said. "You need my powers. Powers which I have no idea how to access, by the way. You don't want _me _and I don't…I don't want to go somewhere where I'm not wanted. So how come you can't just, I don't know, suck out the power and go away?" Kimiko sighed. Good question.

"I don't think it works like that." She replied. "I know we screwed up, but can you just give us—give _me _a chance?" For the first time since she'd arrived, Jack truly considered her words.

"Look, I'm not completely convinced that you're not just out for some kind of twisted revenge, but stick around and. . . I'll think about it." Jack said finally. Kimiko took a deep breath. She pulled together a smile.

"That's all I'm asking." She said. "So, breakfast tomorrow?" Jack blinked.

"Woah, hey, who said anything about breakfast? Or spending time together for that matter? I said I'd think about it, not that I'd come play with you." Jack said, his arrogant demeanor slipping back into place. Kimiko shook her head.

"You said you needed convincing, how else am I supposed to convince you?" she retorted.

"Fine. Make it dinner." Jack amended. "Around six?" Kimiko nodded, flashing him a winning smile.

"It's a da-deal. I'll see you then." She said, without hardly missing a beat. She turned toward the door. She had her hand on the knob when Jack called her name. She turned. He was looking at the floor again.

"I'm. . .look, I'm sorry for. . .about the last time we saw each other. Really. I-it wasn't meant to happen." His eyes met hers with a rare look of complete sincerity. "Ever." Kimiko hesitated, then nodded, slipping out the door. From under her hoodie, she slipped a red notebook. Looking at the "Title" of the journal, Kimiko smiled grimly.

"I forgive you." She said, walking away.

End Chapter Four.

XD So? That's my favorite chapter thus far. Like the Jack's Last Battle flashback? Originally, it was a one-shot, and he actually killed her. But I liked it and decided to use it here. I might still make a one shot of it some day. We'll see.

Anyway, review replies! Splee!

PoisonousAngel: Eee, thanks!

H3llfist: The sad part is, I actually could decipher that…CURSE YOU MEGATOKYO!

FirebenderKitty: Man, what is with all the clay-hate? Seriously! He is soooo under-appreciated. :(

PyroKittyKat: lol, thanks! hands over cookie Enjoy!

Daxo: Aw, come on. The big/small thing is adorable! Lol, I don't know who she'll end up with, though, so don't worry yet. And I hadn't considered his special Wu…I don't know why…lol. And I gave you Jack back…happy? ;)

FireBladeQuickclaw: Eh, yeah, eventually. I heart villains…

Chickens: . . .wish granted. . . .your name makes me giggle. Why is that such a funny word?

Cara: Yep. I wrote it all for the monkeys. I hope you liked it. (Kelso style BURN!) Congrats on being my first flamer.

I'm now taking pity reviews…I have a cold. :(


	5. Jack's Last Battle pt 2

Chapter Five: Jack's Last Battle pt. 2

A/N: This might be the last chapter for a little bit, seeing as my laptop has decided it won't charge itself. I will try to get it fixed as soon as possible. Promise. 'til then? Enjoy.

Beware. . .this chapter switches people a LOT. I don't know why. . .it just turned out that way.

Oh yes, and here are your Heylin back. XD

Story:

Kimiko drove back to her hotel, her mind reeling. How was it that every time she saw Jack, they got into an argument? She sighed. At least they were finally getting somewhere. She wondered how the next night would work out. Dinner. With Jack Spicer. It was strange that two years ago, the very thought of sharing a meal with him would have disgusted her entirely. A pang of guilt struck her as she remembered the things she had said to him. She felt even worse when she thought about his reaction.

"_You don't even like me." _

It was nothing but the truth, but thinking back, Kimiko _had_ been a little harsh on him. She shook her head in disbelief. Harsh on Jack Spicer, of all people. She wondered when speaking to him angrily had become harsh, when in the past, beating him to a quivering ball of pain would have been reasonable, if not kind. A lot had changed, it seemed, and very quickly. She looked over at the notebook sitting in the passenger seat of her car, wondering what it contained. Evil plans? The secret as to why he wanted to take over the world? Kimiko had no idea. She hoped, however, that whatever it held, it would help her understand what Jack was all about. She arrived at the hotel and walked inside. She called the elevator and got in. She realized she was alone, so she settled into the corner and opened the notebook.

"_September Fourth. Dad sent me this lame puzzle box from wherever he's at right now. I solved it really fast. Although, I guess it might be challenging for someone who's NOT an evil genius. Like me. Anyway, it turned out that it had a weird ghost-lady inside it. She wants to help me take over the world. That's pretty cool. She's kind of annoying, though. And crazy. She's really obsessed with these magical. . .I forget what they're called. It has the word Gong in it. But they're supposed to give me superpowers that'll help out with the taking over of the world. Sounds kinda iffy, but if it's not a scam, then say hello to World Domination, Baby! What sounds cooler? Emperor Jack Spicer or Overlord Jack Spicer?" _The elevator came to a stop at Kimiko's floor. She shut the notebook with a grin. The entire entry had been so. . .. _Jack. _She walked down the hallway to her room. She went inside to find Clay sleep on the couch in the middle of the room. Kimiko looked at him for a moment, then went into her room and hid the notebook under her pillow before going to wake him up.

"Hey, Cowboy!" She poked him in the side. Clay grumbled at her and rolled over, only to fall off the couch and onto the floor. He sat up with a yawn.

"What time is it?" he asked groggily.

"It's almost five in the afternoon." Kimiko said. Clay sighed. He was back in the States, where he belonged, sure enough, but he still wasn't used to the time change.

"Can we go home yet?" he wanted to know. Kimiko sighed, sitting down on the couch. Clay pulled himself off the floor and sat down next to her.

"Not quite. This isn't easy. But I did convince Jack to go to dinner with me tomorrow night." Kimiko said brightly. The cowboy stared at her.

"Now hang on, Kimiko. What are you doin', recruitin' a new dragon. . .or datin' him?" He demanded. Kimiko blinked at him, his question astounding her.

"What do you mean, _dating_ him? We're talking about Jack Spicer, here!" She cried, making a disgusted face. Clay folded his arms.

"Ain't what it sounds like to me. You went for breakfast, then you went to see him, and you're doin' dinner? Maybe Raimundo wasn't so wrong about you after all." He said. Kimiko's eyes narrowed.

"What did Rai say about me?" She demanded. Clay winced. He hadn't really meant to say that.

"He. . .well . . .he didn't actually _say_ it. But he thinks you're feelin' somethin' for Spicer." He admitted, knowing Raimundo would kill him for it later.

"Raimundo is so jealous . . .and we're not even going out!" Kimiko muttered, clearly annoyed. "No, I don't feel anything for Jack. Except maybe disgust. And a little loathing." She grinned at Clay forgivingly. Clay looked at her, not grinning back.

"Now that can't be true." He said in his slow, even way. "Or else what're we doin' here?" Kimiko's mouth fell open. Jack had said the same thing.

"_If nobody wants me, then why are you here?" _

"Because. . .Master Fung sent us to do this. And so that's what I'm doing. Finishing my quest." Kimiko said, looking back into her friend's blue eyes determinedly. Clay looked at her for a long time. Finally, he smiled, seeming satisfied.

"All right." He said easily, kicking back. Kimiko leaned back next to Clay, glad he was so laid-back. Raimundo wouldn't have let it go that easily. She sighed to herself. Things were getting more complicated by the minute.

* * *

Jack watched Kimiko leave, then slid down the wall and onto the floor. He hung his head, pulling his knees to his chest. He closed his eyes against the tears that threatened to flood them, and against the memories that began to flood his mind. So it was all true. Everything he always believed. They hated him. They only ever reached out to him before because Omi made them, for whatever reason, and they were only reaching out now because they needed his help His power. A power that he didn't even really believe he possessed. He sighed heavily. Of course they wouldn't want him. After all he was evil. He was a screw-up. And he _had n_early killed Kimiko. But then. . .she was there. She stayed when none of the others had.

Why? That question had so many definitions for the once evil boy genius. Why did she stay? Why didn't the others stay with her? Why did she ask him to dinner? And why did he accept? He leaned his head back against the wall, casting his eyes upward. That was the true question. Why did he accept her invitation, knowing full and well that she could hardly stand to be around him? Did he actually to hope that things would change between them?

"What am I going to do?" He wondered aloud. He ran a hand through his hair. The wetness of it surprised him until he remembered dying it back to firetruck-red. He remembered Kimiko's reaction to his change in appearance. Maybe he could creep her out enough to go back to the temple and leave him alone. But then he remembered how she had slipped up.

"_It's a da-deal." _She had almost said date. He knew it. He couldn't help but smile a little. Unbidden, unwanted, but not at all denied, old hopes and dreams came flowing back into the once evil genius's mind. He used to dream of ruling the world, Kimiko by his side. He used to believe that if she would just be with him, then he wouldn't even care about ruling the world anymore. But then he'd always decide to conquer it anyway, just so he could give it to her. He used to dream that she'd deny all her Xiaolin friends to be with him. And now, for some reason, she had.

Jack stood, sighing once more. Though he knew that kind of thinking would only lead him to pain, he couldn't help but be inspired. He remembered finding his "Evil Journal" earlier that day. He'd meant to read it before he got the whole hair-dye idea. But, with current state of things, there couldn't have been a better time. He looked around on the floor.

"Hey, where did that notebook go, anyway?" he mumbled to himself. He had set it on the floor when he'd found his old goggles, but what had happened to it? Suddenly, his face paled whiter than usual. Kimiko.

"Oh no." He gasped, horror gripping him. "No…"

* * *

Unbeknownst to Jack, who had spent a rather sleepless night visualizing the things that Kimiko would be reading, Kimiko didn't have another chance to read the notebook further. At Clay's request, they had put together a workout plaan, so they would stay on top of their game while in America. By the time Kimiko got a moment to herself, she wanted nothing more than to fall into bed and sleep for eternity. She flopped down onto her bed, but something hard was bothering her. She pulled the notebook from beneath her pillow and threw it across the room with a groan before dozing off. And there it stayed, utterly forgotten.

The next day, Clay knocked on Kimiko's door. She didn't answer.

"Kimiko?" He called, opening the door a crack. Still, she didn't answer. He opened the door all the way and took a step inside the room. He stepped on something which slid out from under him, causing him to fall over. Fortunately for the cowboy, Kimiko was not in her room. A little miffed at having nearly been embarrassed in front of Kimiko, Clay looked around for the source of said embarrassment. A red notebook sat on the floor a few feet away from him. He picked it up and read the title.

"Jack Spicer's Evil Journal. Well I'll be." Clay said softly, his annoyance fading to allow intrigue to take its place. He took the notebook back into the main room and sat down on the couch. He opened the notebook.

"_September Fourth. . ."_

_

* * *

_

_Meanwhile, on the other side of the world. . ._

A black crow flew over mountains, before swooping into a cave, and into the dining hall of a certain demonized ex-monk. Chase Young sat at his extensive table, nonchalantly sipping an interestingly colored liquid from a jeweled goblet. A large book sat on the table in front of him. He looked up, however, as the crow gave an urgent squawk.

"What do you have to report?" He asked his feathered minion, slightly annoyed. He had been reading the afore mentioned large book, and it had been turning out to be a rather good one. Nonetheless, he followed the crow into the Viewing Room, in which he kept the orb which allowed him to record what his crows saw for him. The demon's face held a bored expression for a few moments as he gazed into the orb, but that expression soon changed into wonder, and from wonder, into a particularly evil grin.

"Summon Wu Ya." Chase commanded a lioness which stood nearby. The cat returned moments later, pulling the robe of a very annoyed Wu Ya.

"Chase, all you have to do is _ask_ you know." The Heylin witch complained. Chase flashed her a smirk.

"But then I wouldn't have the pleasure of annoying you." He replied sweetly. Wu Ya glared at him, crossing her arms angrily.

"What do you want?" She demanded.

"It may interest you to learn that a fifth Xiaolin dragon has been revealed." Chase said. Wu Ya's eyes widened.

"But Chase, you know as well as I do that there are only four Chosen Ones." She replied pointedly.

"Yes, well, it seems the fifth Dragon has never been chosen before." The demon-lord replied. "You see, it was prophesied to happen. The Choosing of the Fifth Dragon will proceed an apocalypse the likes of which the Earth has never seen." Wu Ya perked up, suddenly very interested.

"Tell me more." She said, moving closer to Chase. Almost too close for his comfort, really. His golden eyes glinted as he turned back to his orb.

"According to what those monks are deciphering right now, a demon will be summoned and the world will fall to its knees. Though the four Xiaolin Dragons we know and abhor will fight, they will fail. The balance of the world rests in the hands of the fifth Dragon." He informed the witch.

"And," she purred, flirtatiously putting a hand on Chase's chest, "who is this fifth Dragon we'll be welcoming into our humble home?" Chase smiled. Though it was rare that he and Wu Ya actually got along, there were moments where the evil which they both embraced bound them together.

"I don't know, as of yet, but—" He was interrupted as another crow joined the group already assembled in the Viewing Room with a loud squawk. Chase smiled. "But it seems we are about to find out." Both he and Wu Ya walked over to the orb and looked into it. Imaged of Jack fighting with first the Xiaolin Warriors, then with Kimiko flashed through the orb. The two Heylin warriors looked at each other in awe.

"Spicer is the fifth Dragon?" Chase murmured in disgust. Wu Ya shook her head in amazement.

"I haven't seen the boy since. . ." She fell silent, remembering the last time she saw Jack. She looked over at Chase. He looked back, remembering the same thing.

_Wu Ya strode into Jack's house. Having heard about the boy's latest blunder, she came to ask him why he hadn't finished the girl when he had the chance. However, instead of a hopelessly cocky evil boy genius working on some new stupid toy, she found a roaring inferno. To her great surprise, fear filled the witch. She ran through the flames, scanning the area for Jack. She found him against a wall, burned only slightly, but unconscious. Without a moment's hesitation, she picked him up and carried him outside, where she dumped him on the lawn. With that, Wu Ya sat back and waited for him to awaken. She wanted an explanation for his stupidity. She looked at him, surprised at the amount of damage his thin body had acquired. She wondered what had happened to him. _

_Hours later, Jack awoke on his front lawn, covered in dew. He wiped his face, wincing as his hand brushed tender, burnt skin. He looked around, trying to figure out how he had gotten outside. He caught sight of what remained of his house. There was nothing left but a smoking frame and rubble. A few flames still burned. Jacks' jaw dropped, but his surprise faded visibly into anger. _

"_Had to get one last shot in, didn't you?" He growled, his voice breaking. He stood, albeit shakily, and turned to go. He wasn't sure where, and frankly, he didn't care. His exit was ruined, however, by the appearance of a certain ex-ghost. _

"_What have you been doing, you foolish boy?" She demanded. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Wu Ya was worried. The injuries she had observed on his body should have been causing him enough pain that would cause most people, let alone the weak boy she thought she knew to lack the desire to even move. But Jack stood before her, back straight, eyes filled with a sort of strange, ice fire. His body shook, his breathing was heavy, but he stood there, filled with a strength she never thought she would see in him. _

"_I had to destroy them. I had to destroy all of them." Jack said, his voice hoarse and cracking. _

"_What do you mean?" Wu Ya asked. _

"_The robots, Wu Ya. I had to destroy them so they wouldn't do to anyone else what they did to her." The strange fire left his eyes, leaving them almost dead looking. He looked at Wu Ya helplessly. "I—I almost killed someone." He collapsed suddenly, the wounds and the exhaustion taking over. _

_When Jack awoke once again, he was in a bed. And someone had treated and dressed all his wounds. He looked around, immediately recognizing his surroundings. He was in Chase Young's lair. A feeling of dread welled up inside the boy. He got up and dressed, noticing that he had fresh clothes, probably ones he had left from one of the time he had stayed in Chase's lair when they were on the same team. He walked out into the main hall. Chase Young himself sat at the large dining table which was, as usual, laden with food. _

"_Spicer. Sit down. Eat something." He said. Jack sat down but he didn't take any food. _

"_Not hungry." He whispered. He did, however, fill a goblet with water he found in an ornate pitcher. This he drank thirstily before refilling it. Chase watched this silently. Jack noticed Chase watching him and sat back. _

"_How come you brought me here? Don't you hate me?" Jack wanted to know. Chase smirked. _

"_Yes. But perhaps you have proven yourself. Wu Ya tells me you defeated one of the Xiaolin warriors." He said, folding his hands on the table in front of him. Jack looked away, the knot in his stomach tightening. _

"_I didn't defeat them. I nearly killed one of them. I almost killed Kimiko." Jack said, feeling as though he were confessing before a judge. His throat tightened. "I never wanted to kill anyone." _

"_The first kill is the hardest." Chase said with surprising gentleness. "I do not blame you for holding back at the last moment." Jack's crimson eyes snapped to his childhood hero's amber ones. Chase smiled and continued. _

"_But this is good for you, Jack. This is a big step in becoming truly evil. Perhaps the darkness in you is stronger than I thought." Jack's face hardened. _

"_I don't want to kill people. I never wanted to! I just wanted to. . ." He stopped. What did he want to do? _

"_You wanted what? To take over the world? Did you really think you could do that without hurting people? Killing them?" Chase laughed. "I thought you claimed to be a genius." _

"_But I want to find a way to do it without hurting people I—Without hurting anyone." Jack found he was standing. He sat down slowly, then looked up, his crimson eyes meeting Chase's golden ones once more. "I never meant to hurt Kimiko." _

"_You have feelings for the dragon of fire." It wasn't a question. _

"_I . . ." Jack couldn't say anything more. He stood and forced himself to speak. "I can't stay here. I'm done with this whole. . .I can't face them again. I don't want to be evil. I just want to go home." He turned to leave. _

"_You don't have a home to go to." Chase stated nonchalantly. Jack froze. "Or did you forget that you burnt it down?" Jack's eyes widened. He looked at the floor, though flooring wasn't what he saw. He remembered waking up in his yard, seeing his house burnt to nothing. _

"_My parents?" He asked quietly. _

"_Were out at the time. Pity. You would have had two kills under your belt already." Chase remarked, humor lacing his smooth voice. Jack turned, furious. _

"_Never say that again! I am not a killer!" He snapped. Chase stood and walked over to him, the smile gone from his face. He slapped the right side of Jack's face with the back of his gloved hand. _

"_You will not speak to me in that tone of voice, apprentice!" He growled, eyes flashing. Jack put a hand to his aching cheek, staring at Chase in shock. Apprentice. Chase wanted him to be his apprentice. And this time, Chase meant it for real. It was Jack's dream come true. _

"_I . . ."Jack stopped, the image of Kimiko playing through his mind once more. "No, I can't. It would have been an honor, but I can't. I have to go." And with that, Jack walked away, out of Chase's lair, leaving the dragon master staring. Wu Ya walked up beside Chase, slipping her arm through his. _

"_What happened?" She asked. _

"_He rejected the apprenticeship." Chase said slowly. _

"_What?" Wu Ya shrieked. "Why?" _

"_He is clouded by grief. He feels regret for his actions." Chase stared in the direction Jack had limped thoughtfully. His face darkened. "I believe I was right about him from the beginning. He is pathetic." _

Chase and Wu Ya frowned simultaneously. That was the last time either of them had seen Jack. In fact, after that incident, they had forgotten all about him. He did not show up at Showdowns anymore, he did not pester Chase or Wu Ya for any "Evil Unions" anymore, he simply vanished from their world entirely. And now .. . _he_ was the fifth Dragon? Both warriors found this very strange indeed.

A third viewer, however, smiled from the rafter on which he sat, hidden from the other two Heylin warriors. Jack Spicer as the fifth Dragon .. . this would work out very well for him indeed. It was all too easy.

With that thought in mind, Hannibal Roy Bean jumped from the rafter, landing expertly on the back of his trusty Ying-Ying bird, then flew off.

* * *

Hours later, Clay set down the journal, his blue eyes aflame. As he had suspected, something was definitely afoot. Jack Spicer more than likely had something else planned for Kimiko. Something that Clay Bailey would not allow. He looked at the clock. Kimiko would be meeting Jack in less than fifteen minutes.

But not if Clay had anything to say about it.

End Chapter Five.

A/N: Hey, look, a plot is beginning to form! Ooo. Sorry for pushing the date back. But there were so many questions as to what happened to the Heylin, I ended up rearranging the storyline a little bit. Whee!

Okay, I need to start keeping track of who I've replied to personally and who I reply to on here, because I can't remember!!!! So basically, I'll just throw out some lovin' and some special review-cookies and hope you don't hate me for not replying! XD

Like I said before, I don't know if I'll have anything new up anytime soon. I used up a lot of my laptop's battery to get this chapter up here. But I will be working on a Christmas one-shot, which I guess I'll have to write in a spiral and post. Yikes!

Anyway, I'm off to work. Review if you dare! XD

p.s. Anyone else notice how many times I say "Jack Spicer" in here? I just re-read this on the pre-post edit, and dang…I seem to have an obsession with his full name.. . .lol!


	6. Dates and an Intervention

Chapter Six: Dates and Intervention

A/N: WAH! I am so sorry for the HUGE delay! My computer was dead and then _I_ was dead and then there was Christmas and then I had to re-read everything and….why didn't anyone TELL me how many plot-holes I was creating?! Wow! I'm so sorry. . .dunno how y'all put up with it. I'm trying to tie in as many as I can so it'll seem a little less hole-y but it's still looking pretty patchworky. Anyway, I'm back for now at least. Again, many apologies!

Story:

Kimiko drove up to Jack's house just before six. She hopped out of her car and walked to the door. She hesitated before knocking, taking a deep breath. Dinner with Spicer. What had possessed her? She masked her nervousness and knocked.

"Hey!" she said brightly as Jack opened the door.

"Yeah, let's get this over with." Jack said, looking at her carefully. He was trying to decide if she had read his notebook. With a rush of relief, he realized that she hadn't for if she had there was no way she would have come. Feeling slightly more optimistic, he reached in his pocket, then frowned.

"Oh, hang on, let me grab my keys." he said, turning to go back into the house. Kimiko grinned.

"I, uh, was kind of planning on taking my car." she said, indicating the car she had parked in his driveway. He turned and looked at the rather expensive looking silver car, which made his old used car look rather grungy in comparison.

"Um, okay." He said, feeling rather sheepish. Kimiko bit back a grin. She knew very well that boys hated being shown up by girls when it came to cars. The fact that she had some sort of knowledge about cars and which ones were coolest had always been one of her favorite ways to bug her guy friends. She walked over and hopped cheerfully into the driver's side of the car, as a much less cheerful Jack got into the passenger side.

"So where are we going?" Jack wanted to know as they headed off. Kimiko just smiled at him.

"Oh, you know, somewhere with food." She said, thoroughly enjoying the look of annoyance that crossed the redheaded boy's face.

"Okay, fine. New question. Where'd this car come from?" He asked. He hated being so talkative but it was better than awkward silence, which he'd had quite enough of during their past few visits.

"Oh, my dad got it for me." Kimiko replied.

"Your dad just went out and got this for you? Wow!" Jack shook his head in disbelief. Kimiko gave him a strange look.

"Come on, you can't be that surprised. I mean, you grew up about like I did, right?" She said, remembering the giant house in which Jack had once had his evil lair. Jack snorted.

"Not really." he replied.

"Uh, Jack, your house was ginormous! And I've seen your parents at stuff my dad let me go to, so I know they're way upper class. You're a spoiled rich kid just like me!" Kimiko reminded him. Jack sighed, staring out the window.

"Not _just_ like you. I mean, for a while I guess I was spoiled. When I was really little. But when they realized I couldn't be the perfect little heir they always wanted. . .well it all sort of ended there." he said. "The only reason I've got what I have now is because it got me out of _their _house." Kimiko frowned as she pulled onto the highway.

"So how did you get all your robot parts and stuff for your lair and everything then?" she wanted to know. His lab had been filled with all sorts of expensive equipment, not to mention the robots themselves. Kimiko knew that robot parts did not come cheap.

"Well, for a while I used my own allowance. But when they figured out what I was doing with it, they cut it off, so I had to come up with my own way of getting parts." Jack said.

"How'd you do that?" Kimiko asked. Jack smiled to himself, apparently enjoying some sort of inside joke.

"Oh, I had my ways." He replied. Kimiko gave him a suspicious look.

"You stole them." She accused. Jack smirked.

"Nope. You're wrong. Sorry, sweet pea. How I built my robots is my little secret." He said teasingly. Kimiko pulled off the highway and into a strip of restaurants a few minutes later. Jack looked up and realized in horror where they were headed.

"Sushi?" He asked skeptically. Kimiko giggled.

"Yeah, isn't it the best?" She asked sweetly. Jack made a face, causing Kimiko to laugh harder as she drove behind the sushi place and parked at a bar and grill. Jack breathed a sigh of relief.

"You had me worried there." He admitted.

"You're way too easy to freak out." Kimiko replied. Jack made a face at her as they walked into the restaurant. Soon, they were seated. They sat in their booth, talking and laughing as though they were old friends. It was strange how easily conversation came to them. They argued about movies and music and which gaming system was the best. They traded parts of their meal and had a brief ice-cube war. To anyone who observed them, Jack and Kimiko were a pair of good friends, or even a couple out on a date and having a blast together. No one would have guessed they were once enemies.

And to one observer watching intently through a window, it was too much. Clay walked inside the restaurant, fighting to keep calm. The hostess smiled at him.

"How many are in your party?" she asked him cheerfully. Clay ignored her completely and walked past her into the restaurant. She called after him, surprised. Clay walked over to where Jack and Kimiko sat and stood over them silently, arms crossed over his broad chest. The two of them were so busy arguing, they were entirely oblivious to his presence. Still, he remained silent.

"Are you kidding me? Goo Zombies are so old! Can we get a new series now, please? I mean come _on!_ Goo Zombies 12?! It's getting ridiculous." Jack was saying, as he munched lazily on a fry.

"Would you stop bashing my favorite game? Goo Zombies have always rocked and they always will! I love them!" Kimiko argued.

"Well, just because you're lame doesn't mean the rest of the world is!" Jack teased. Kimiko threw and ice-cube at him. It bounced off the once-evil genius' forehead and out into the aisle, hitting one rather angry looking cowboy on the arm. Both Jack and Kimiko started, their laughter fading into uncomfortable silence as they noticed Clay's presence for the first time. Jack looked up at Clay in something akin to horror, then he looked at Kimiko accusingly. Kimiko just stared at Clay. His blue eyes were aflame and his jaw was set. Something had him very angry. And when the laid back Texan was angry, bad things tended to happen.

"Um, hey, Clay." Kimiko said somewhere nervously. "What are you doing here?"

"So you're the only one who stayed, huh?" Jack asked her, feeling rather betrayed. Kimiko winced, mentally shushing him. Clay gave her a look, then turned to Jack. He grabbed the much smaller boy by the collar of his t-shirt and pulled him up with one strong arm.

"Just what're you tryin' to pull, Spicer." Clay growled. Jack's red eyed widened.

"Me? I'd ask you the same question, Brokeback!" He shot back, sarcasm lacing his voice. Kimiko shook her head at Jack, knowing that he couldn't see her. Clay was in no mood to be toyed with, and Jack's smart-mouthing would only get him beat. She wondered what had set her large comrade off. He could ruin everything just by being there. It would be hard to explain to Jack why Clay was there without admitting to him outright that they thought she needed to be protected from him.

"I know what you're doin'. And I ain't gonna sit here and let it happen!" Clay said. "You're gonna leave our Kimiko alone." Kimiko leaped to her feet.

"Clay!" She cried. "What are you _talking_ about? Put him down!" Jack looked at her questioningly. Clay's harsh blue eyes flicked to her.

Stay outta this, Kimiko." He said darkly. Kimiko grabbed his arm, unafraid.

"I don't know what you're doing, but it's not cool. I thought I said I didn't want you to interfere!" she cried, her own temper rising.

"You don't know what's goin' on! I'll explain later, just go outside and lemee take care of _this._" Clay jerked his head toward Jack, who still dangled in his grip looking very confused and none too pleased.

"No!" Kimiko cried. Clay sighed, then turned and walked out the door, Jack in tow. The people in the restaurant stared after them, then at Kimiko. Kimiko sighed, heat rising in her cheeks. She pulled out her credit card and walked to the register.

"Um, take an extra hundred out." she mumbled. The hostess, eyes wide, nodded mutely.

Outside, Clay threw Jack against the wall. Jack winced as his head bounced off the bricks.

"Ow! Okay big guy, what did I do to you?" Jack demanded. His vision exploded into a thousand fireworks as Clay's fist connected with his face. He gritted his teeth as he felt the flesh begin to throb and swell under his left eye. Clay's face swam into focus, the normally calm blue eyes glaring bullets at him.

"I ain't gonna let you have her, Spicer." the cowboy growled through clenched teeth. "I ain't gonna let you hurt her. And you would. I didn't forget what you did to her before, even if she did." Jack's good eye widened as he realized what was happening. _Clay knew!_ Jack felt his cheeks redden.

"That was a long time ago. I'm not. . .I don't. . .I don't feel that way anymore." He said, stumbling over his own words.

"Then let her go home. Stop tryin' to keep her here." Clay replied.

"I'm not! You think I've been keeping her here? She's the one who won't leave _me_ alone! If you can convince her to go then do it! I don't want anything to do with any of you!" Jack cried. Another blow to the face, given by Clay and received by Jack. This time, Jack tasted blood.

"I don't like liars, Spicer." Clay said bluntly.

"I'm not lying!" Jack insisted desperately. A few more blows given and received. For several long moments, the once-evil genius couldn't breathe. Clay pulled his head up and leaned in.

"You stay away from her, Spicer. Just stay away." Clay growled, dropping the gasping Jack to the ground. He stepped back, arms crossed once more. Kimiko walked outside at that moment. She looked at Clay, then Jack, and her eyes widened. She dashed to Jack's side and knelt down beside him.

"Jack! Are you--." Clay grabbed her arm, interrupting her.

"We're going home." he said firmly. Kimiko pulled away from him.

"No!" she cried. "You go home! I'm staying!" Grimly, Clay pulled out the Golden Tiger Claws. He ripped a portal in the air. Without saying a word, he took hold of Kimiko once more and pulled her through the portal with him.

Jack leaned against the wall of the restaurant for what felt like a long time. Finally, he pulled himself to his feet and walked over to Kimiko's car. He sighed , then broke into the car and hot-wired it quickly and easily. What a great way to prove his reformation. Steal Kimiko's car. But he had no other way of getting home, and he wanted nothing more than to be there at the moment. He drove slowly, however, thinking about what had just taken place.

Kimiko had lied. She'd said that she was the only one who'd stayed. But Clay was there, probably to watch out for Kimiko in case he tried something. So apparently Kimiko didn't trust him either. But. . .she was angry with Clay for hurting him, and it seemed like she wasn't happy with him being at the restaurant at all. Why was that?

However, Clay had read the notebook. Clay knew all about how Jack had once felt about Kimiko. He seemed like he was basing his "punishment" of Jack purely off of that. And Jack knew he was being a little crazy because she was actually being nice to him, but he knew, on some level at least, that it was never going to happen. As he stopped at a stoplight, Jack inspected himself in the mirror. A large purple bruise was forming under one eye and his lip was swollen already. He could feel the bruises on his abdomen, as well as the scratches on his back where the rough bricks had scraped through his thin t-shirt while he was being held against the wall. Jack sighed. Nothing had changed at all. They still didn't accept him. They never would.

Jack finally arrived at his house. He left the car in the driveway, not knowing what else to do with it, and went inside. He walked into the bathroom, peeling off his t-shirt. As he expected, a large black bruise decorated his stomach. He ran gentle fingers over it, feeling for any serious damage. Though there was none, his throat constricted as his fingers touched several scars on their way across his abdomen. He remembered how he'd gotten them. Showdowns, failed attempts at evil plans, failed attempts at trying to get people on his side for once, his own experiments and creation exploding in his face. . .so many different scenarios. But all with the same ending: One Jack Spicer returning beaten and bloodied to the safety and solitude of wherever he was calling home at the time.

He inspected the scars in the mirror, watching them turn purple from the chilled air. He looked at his arms, remember how those particular scars got there. His heart beat a fraction quicker as he touched the rows of scars. All of a sudden, there was a knock at the door. Jack whirled around, panicked. He slipped into his bedroom and threw on a clean t-shirt, then tried to calm down as he headed for the door. He opened it hesitantly. To his surprise, Kimiko was standing there. She looked up at him, sorrow written all over her face.

"Can I. . ." she trailed off, her voice quiet. Jack stepped aside, letting her enter, then shutting the door behind her. Kimiko looked up at him.

"Oh, Jack. I'm so sorry about what Clay did. I sent him home." She said, reaching upa nd touching his eye gently. Jack felt his cheeks grow warm. He hung his head, letting his shaggy hair fall forward to cover his eyes completely.

"It's. . .whatever. I knew you guys didn't want me around." Jack replied coldly. Kimiko lowered her eyes.

"Well, Clay doesn't, I guess. I do. Jack, you're important!" She said. Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Are you still trying to sell me this crap? Do you really think I'm gonna be welcome at your temple, Kimiko? Just stop lying to me, okay? Clay's right. You should go, and we'll all just forget about this whole thing, okay?" Jack turned away. Kimiko shook her head, putting a hand on Jack's shoulder.

"Look, Master Fung just contacted me. It's even bigger than we thought. The Fifth Dragon is the most important one of all. There's never been one before because there's never had to be. There's going to be a big battle and it'll all depend on you, Jack. You're going to either have to save the world by fighting on the side of the Xiaolin or you'll throw it into chaos by giving it to the Heylin." She explained. Jack turned and looked at her.

"What if I refuse to fight?" he asked quietly. "I don't want to be on either side. I just want you all to leave me alone!" Kimiko frowned.

"Then the world will be destroyed completely, I guess." She said. "This is the big one that'll decide the fate of the world forever." Jack shrugged.

"Not my problem." he said. "If I go with you, all I'm gonna get is a repeat of what happened today. I had enough of that crap back when we were kids. You really think I wanna fight for someone who does _this _to me?" He pushed back his hair and pointed at his eye. Kimiko sighed, looking worried.

"Jack, just please, think about it. I don't' want you to go to the Heylin again just because stupid Clay is jealous." She said. "I'm sorry for what he did. I really am. I didn't ever want him to do that to you." Jack looked at her quizzically. Kimiko bit her lip and turned to leave.

"Just think about what I said, okay?" She said softly, before walking out the door. Jack stared at the door for a while before walking into the kitchenette and slumping into a chair. He let his head fall forward into his hands.

"What am I supposed to do?" he whispered.

Kimiko skipped down the drive and started off down the street, laughing to herself. The laugh grew deeper and more diabolical. Kimiko's face distorted and morphed into the visage of Hannibal Roy Bean. As the transformation completed, the Ying-Ying bird swooped down from the sky, catching its master on its back. Hannibal grinned.

"Everything is working out perfectly. That cowboy did half my work for me. The bruises will remind young Mr. Spicer what side he truly belongs on. All I have to do is give him one more little nudge in the right direction." he said to his bird. "Soon, the world will be mine."

As soon as Kimiko felt solid ground beneath her feet, she pushed Clay away from her.

"I can't believe you! What the hell was that?!" she cried. Clay whirled around, eyes flashing.

"He was leadin' you on, Kimiko! I told you I wasn't gonna let anything happen to you!" He replied.

"I can take care of myself, Clay! You're being stupid. You have this big grudge going because oh no! It's Spicer!" Kimiko spat. "I am sick of you guys treating me like I'm weak or stupid! He's not a bad guy, okay? And he's a Dragon! We can't just ignore that because of what he did in the past!"

"I'm telling you, he was leadin' you on! All he ever wanted was _you,_ Kimiko! Why do you think he was bein' so nice to you? You said it yourself, Kimiko. We put Spicer through a lot of butt-kickin' when he was Heylin. D'ya really think he'd just turn around and forgive us for it?" Clay asked, his voice losing its fire part way through and dropping to its usual even softness.

"How can you know that for sure? You don't even know him!" Kimiko replied. Clay simply handed her a familiar looking notebook.

"The last entry." he directed her. Kimiko looked at him for a moment, then opened the notebook to the end. She started to read.

_This is the best plan I've ever come up with! I took all the safeties off the bots, so now they're set to do some real damage. Sure, they've done damage in the past, but they weren't working at full capacity. Now they will. I'll show them. I'll show her. And then maybe I'll be worth something to her, and she'll finally be mine. With her by my side, I'll conquer the world so I can give it to her for her birthday. . .May Seventh. And she'll be my queen, my beautiful Kimiko. _

Kimiko sank to the ground. It was the last entry in the notebook. . .the night before the last Showdown they'd fought against each other. And everything Clay had said was true. Jack had feelings for her. No wonder he'd been willing to listen to her. . .it wasn't about saving the world or turning good. It had been about her all along. Pleasing her.

"Clay. . ."Kimiko whispered. "I'm so sorry I didn't believe you." She felt a large hand on her shoulder. She looked up into the face of her friend. His blue eyes were soft once again. He smiled at her.

"it's all right, Kimiko. We're home now." he said.

"Kimiko! Kimiko!" The voices of Raimundo and Omi carried from the doorway as they scrambled to get outside to the courtyard of the temple, where Kimiko sat and Clay knelt. Kimiko's eyes widened in horror as she realized what Clay had done.

"Home. . ." she whispered.

End chapter Six.

A/N: Woo! Finally! I hate to say it, but I don't know when the next chapter will be up. School starts next week and things promise to be hectic, so who knows what will happen then. There's dreaded college algebra. hides I'm so awful at math!

Meanwhile, it's been so long, I forgot who I replied to again, so yay for everyone who reviewed! I love you all and you make me wanna write more! And better, for that matter. I've got a good bunch of reviewers now! XD

Clicky yonder buttony and I'll do what I can about next chapter!

AJ


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